St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-11-12

. DANGERS OF THE SEA.

DANGERS OF THE SEA-
essals Ene...ssrsa Ups. he Stormy Aaan
by Lastsr-Day Navigasses.
Tho modern song and story-makers
are not as fond rs were their predcces-
sors Of the olden time OF referring to
waves that run mountains high"
'rrested billows soaring above the
maintop." and all that sort Of thing.
That kind Of literature and ministry to
the popular idea passed ont with the
big ships--disappeared from the ocean
Of reading matter. just Is squarc-rig-
gcd craft of every description vanish
ell upon the advent Of ocean steam
vessels. and are now scarcely 70 ''o
found in any of their old haunts or sit.
uations. The romance Of the sea and
its navigation was inseparable from
sails and rigging and hulls. which de-
pended rather upon the skill Of COM
mander than any powers Afforded BY
inanim ate agencies for the safe and
successful prosecution Of voyage and
venture.
Nevertheless, the sea has not
changed during all the years since
creation. and the attributes Of old
ocean remain the same rs when Paul
the apostle made his coasting trips or
Columbus tho discovcrer set the ex-
ample of long voyages The winds
roll up the waves in precisely the same
manner to-day as in the days Of Noah.
Currents are rs dcceitful. lee shores as
terrible. icebergs rs dangerous hurri-
canes as formidable as when the
| navies of the earth wero in their in
fancy.
And so it il that Notwithstanding all
the advances which man has made in
the direction Of overcoming the
natural obstacles to navigation of the
ocean, it still remains that he
has not progressed in the least in
most desirable ways and in matters
If vital Importance. For example:
Fogs rs an element opposed To
marine operations. are not a whit
less dangerous to-day than in the days
when the great Admirals Of the nations
mo leled their vessels upon the wash
erwoman's tub. Tho combing. break
ing 'sca' will tear in pieces the mOd-
ern-built hull just rs quickly. and rs
completely as was tho case when the
Armada fOundered-
| Collisions at sea are even worse now
than in the olden time. for rates oi
speed are higher. and. when mistakes
occur. they are sure TO be more disas.
trous than when simple order Oi
things prevailed. In S,c matter Of Sc
curi,y against fire. the dividing ol
ships into compartments, whereby
practically many hulls arc made ol
one. and similar provisions against ac-
cident or bad management. there is
something to bc said for human in
vcntion and discovery. but in many
supreme points nature still hold an
irresistible front.
But tho landsman's measure of tho
pcrils of the ocean is not very likely to
repres mt that which affects the cap
tain of the first-class elmer among
steamships; nor is the estimate of dan
ger Of even the most experienced pas.
sengcr by any means sure to impress
the veteran navigator equally. Tho
ono recognizes lurking mishaps in Z
fog. and is tried to the verge Of endur'
ance during its prevalence. while the
other whistles carelessly because the
sea is smooth and the winds are
lullcd. The captain notes with
q concentration Of apprehension
the gathering Of icebcrgs on every
hand, well knowing that the slightesl
change in the weather. or the sudden
drawing of . curtain Of mist, may put
him at his wits end in ex.
tricating his vessel; and all the while
his passengers delight in the sunshine
cleaning from a thousand pinnacles.
and the grotesque marshaling Of the
unique army. The Captain. finding hia
craft in the midst Of powerful tide
ways. and influenced BY hidden cur
rents. sees with awe and distrust thai
wind and waves are rising in conjunc'
ton, and that the waters present more
and more the formation. peculiar ia
the situation. Of perpe ntlicular walls.
seemingly and actually ready tD top
pie over upon whatever opposes with
an overwhelming force.
These are not fancy pictures Of pos
sible dangers which might confront the
navigator. as exceptional experience
In q long career They are ever
present. practical situations which th<
transatlantic steamship Captain must
be familiar with. and in the midst 0l
which he lives and works That hi.
vessel is propelled BY steam power 4
something in his favor. which Is almost
neutralized by tho fact that she !,
sure 10 be Of size and proper
tions and to present difficulties in navi
CATION far in excess Of that which
would be the case il she depended sole
y upon sails for propulsion. A breal
in machinery during furious gale
contact Of such bulk. be it ever q
slight apparently with an iccburg
blind cruising under 50 tremendous re
sponsibility in the midst Of dense fogs
sometimes for days; the decision OF .
thousand questions which may arise
Of what is best to be done or avoided
the captains dread is not Of the super
natural, the unusual the extreme il
waves or storms. or gales. but Of tn
ordinary evils Of the sea. which are in
separablc from its navigation AM
traversing. which have existed nnmiti
gated since creations dawn. AMI
which will continue to the end. Boo
ton Herald